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Thanks to Rayx2108 for being the beta reader of this chapter, again. You can join the discord to also be a beta reader, thanks for reading.
Discord: SSBWfV26
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Waking up was like swimming through liquid fire.
Bell opened his eyes slowly, a guttural groan barely escaping his parched throat. The dungeon's stone ceiling greeted him with its familiar darkness punctuated by crystals of light. But nothing felt familiar about his body.
Pain. Every inch. Every muscle screamed, every breath was a torment. It hurt to even blink.
"Am I… alive?" he thought, blinking with effort.
He forced himself to move an arm. It creaked. Then a leg. It burned. His entire body was a discordant symphony of needles and fire, as if he'd been crushed with a rock and then thrown into a furnace.
But he was alive.
"That means…" His gaze slowly swept the surroundings. There were no monsters nearby. No corpses. Just black marks on the ground, his spear lying to the side, and his blood, partly dried, sticking to the stone.
"I passed out. In the dungeon. How long…?"
The thought alone made him try to sit up, but his torso immediately protested, reminding him that he'd been pierced by a damn dragon's spine. He fell back onto his back with a gasp.
"Not much… it can't have been that long. Otherwise, the monsters would have… finished me off."
It was no consolation, but at least it explained his miraculous survival.
He gritted his teeth and began to crawl. First to reach his spear, then to his knees.
The cold metal of the spear in Bell's hand brought a glimmer of reality to his mind. He was battered, yes. But not dead.
"This… is definitely going to hurt tomorrow morning."
His body was trembling. But in his mind… a small spark ignited again.
Not out of revenge. Not out of fury.
Not for glory. Not for stubbornness.
But by the desire to return.
Of returning to the surface. To the sunlight. To the ramshackle church he now called home. To that small, screaming goddess who hugged him like he was the most precious thing in the world. To his family.
To Hestia.
Even if he had to crawl through every floor, even if his bones creaked and his blood left a trail behind him… Bell would move forward.
Step by step, staggering, with the spear as a walking stick and each breath like a dagger in his chest, he began the slow and painful journey back.
And there was only one thought in his head, to get back to her.
As he limped forward, sweat mixed with blood running down his forehead, Bell paused for a moment, leaning against a rough stone wall. His breathing was labored, ribs aching with each inhalation. With trembling hands, he opened the pouch on his back, faintly hoping to find a potion that would help him continue.
But as soon as Bell opened it, his heart sank.
Broken glass, spilled liquid, shattered bottles stained red. Nothing useful remained.
The fierce battle with the dragon had left him with nothing but his will and a blunt spear.
Bell gritted his teeth, a frustrated growl barely escaping his throat. He closed the bag and hung it back on the side. There was no time for regrets. He couldn't stop.
"I have no cure… but I do have a reason."
He forced himself to stand, staggering. Every step was difficult. Every movement hurt.
But deep down, I knew one thing: if I could just get out of there… if I could just get back up…
Hestia would be waiting for him.
A pair of Mad Bats emerged from the darkness, their high-pitched screeches piercing the stale air of the dungeon. Bell looked up through slitted eyes, panting as he staggered to his feet. He didn't have time for another fight, not in this state.
Without thinking twice, she raised her broken but determined voice.
"Explosion!"
A wave of fire erupted from his body, ravaging the bats in an instant. The creatures didn't even have time to react before being consumed by the flames. Heat surrounded him, but as always, his body wasn't harmed. On the contrary, his wounds partially closed, the deeper cuts healed slightly, and the pain subsided.
But the price came immediately.
His legs buckled. His body, still weak, didn't handle the strain well. Each spell was a coin tossed against his already depleted stamina.
Bell fell to his knees, breathing heavily. Sweat streamed down his face as if he'd just stepped out of a steam bath.
"Come on… come on, Bell…" he muttered under his breath, dragging himself back to his feet.
He knew he couldn't abuse that spell, not without consequences. But he also knew that every step brought him a little closer to the exit.
And home.
Upon reaching the fifth floor, Bell leaned against a rock wall, the spear trembling in his hand. Every muscle in Bell's body screamed for rest, but his gaze remained fixed forward. The dim light from the dungeon's crystals illuminated the path… and he wasn't alone.
A group of adventurers passed by. All of them were armed, alert… and completely indifferent to his presence.
One of them glanced at him for a brief second, but didn't say anything. The group simply continued on, as if Bell were just part of the Dungeon's broken landscape.
He couldn't even speak. His throat was dry, his voice caught somewhere between fatigue and pride. He could only watch them walk away, his breathing heavy and his heart, beating erratically, reminding him that he was still alive.
"I guess… I can't look too different from the undead now," he thought, with a bitter smile.
Still, he forced himself to keep walking.
Because there was still a way to go to get home.
But just as the faint light of dawn began to creep through the Dungeon entrance, Bell collapsed.
His legs gave way limply. His body hit the ground with a thud, his spear rolling a few steps away from him. There was no more energy in his muscles, no will his body could keep up.
He lay there, right on the edge of the abyss, half his face illuminated by the warm light outside, and the other half lost in the shadows of the hell he had just crossed.
Then, without words, a silhouette appeared.
Slow, steady steps. Boots softly clicking against the stone.
He bowed.
A moment of silence.
And then, he lifted it up.
Without a word, without showing his face, the figure turned and left, carrying the unconscious adventurer in his arms, walking away from the Dungeon.
No witnesses.
No explanations.
Only the sound of footsteps fading away in the silent morning.
…
The scent of soft incense and freshly laundered fabrics was the first thing he noticed.
Then, the warmth.
Bell blinked slowly, and the feeling of softness enveloped him. He was lying in a bed, softer and more comfortable than he'd ever experienced. Silk sheets, a pillow so soft it felt like a cloud. Dim light filtering through translucent curtains.
His eyes opened wide.
I didn't recognize the ceiling. Or the walls. I was in a completely unfamiliar room, decorated with elegant and harmonious taste. Almost… too elegant.
He tried to sit up, but his body complained with every movement. Bandages covered his torso, and his abdomen still burned slightly with the memory of the dragon's spine. Still, he didn't have the same pang he had before. Someone had treated him… gently.
Bell stood still for a second, his breathing still shallow, his heart beginning to beat faster as his eyes scanned the details of the room. White curtains fluttered in the breeze.
It wasn't a hospital. It wasn't a church. And it definitely wasn't any normal adventurer's home.
"Where am I?"
The door opened with a softclick, and Bell slowly looked up. His muscles still ached, his body still heavy, but at least he could move his head without feeling like the world was spinning.
Riveria Ljos Alf entered the room with the same stoic elegance he remembered. Her green robes moved with a fluid rhythm as she walked, and her long emerald hair seemed unchanged since the last time he saw her.
The elf looked at him with her usual serene gaze, and simply said:
"You've finally woken up."
Bell blinked a couple of times. He wasn't sure what to say, but before he could even try to articulate anything, Riveria spoke again.
"Can you walk?"
Bell was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly and murmured:
"Yes… I think so."
Riveria nodded slightly, without showing much expression.
"Then come. There's someone who wants to talk to you."
Without further ado, he turned and left the room, his firm, calm footsteps echoing in the hallway.
Bell, still not fully understanding what was happening or exactly where he was, struggled to sit up, leaving behind the soft sheets and the most comfortable bed he'd been in since arriving in Orario. Sore, but functional, he followed Riveria out of the room.
Bell walked slowly behind Riveria through the wide, quiet hallway of Twilight Manor. The soft echo of his footsteps contrasted with the silence that reigned in the residence. Although the pain was still present, it was bearable… at least for now.
Still curious, Bell raised his voice. "Is this place…?"
Riveria, without pausing, nodded slightly. "You're at the Loki Familia residence."
Bell hesitated for a moment before asking, "You brought me here?"
Riveria shook her head, and after a brief silence, calmly replied, "No. But one of ours did."
Bell looked up, confused.
"Someone in the family found you at the entrance to the Dungeon," Riveria explained. "They picked you up and brought you here."
Bell blinked, processing every word. "Who was…?"
"It would be best if you heard it yourself," Riveria said, her tone neutral, but her eyes, for a moment, showed a hint of curiosity. "Though considering how exhausted you were, it's almost a miracle you survived. And that one of our people was there just in time."
Bell pressed his lips together in silence, feeling that no matter how hard he tried to distance himself from it all, he always ended up relying on others. And yet… a part of him felt relieved.
Riveria stopped in front of a large door. Without saying a word, she gently pushed it open, allowing Bell to see the interior of the room, lit by magic lamps and the glow of sunlight streaming through the windows.
Inside, several familiar figures turned at the same time.
Ais, standing near a table, looked at him with her typical calm expression. Bete, leaning back on a sofa with his arms crossed, snorted at the sight. Finn smiled slightly from a chair, while
Tiona waved her hand vigorously and Tione just raised an eyebrow, examining him as if she expected him to collapse again.
Bell swallowed and took a step forward, feeling all eyes fall on him. He bowed slightly, smiling nervously.
"G-good morning, everyone. Um… thanks for… helping me." A brief silence fell, and then Tiona giggled.
"Wow! You survived! I thought you wouldn't wake up!"
Bete grunted. "Tch. I still don't understand how that weakling made it all the way to the entrance alive."
Ais stared at him, but said nothing.
Finn, on the other hand, stood gracefully and walked toward him. "It's good to see you awake. And in one piece, no less."
Bell scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable. "Y-yeah… something like that…"
Riveria closed the door behind him, while everyone looked at him as if he were an unsolved mystery.
Bell, still standing with discomfort evident in his expression, looked around before plucking up his courage and asking:
"Excuse me… May I know who brought me here?"
Finn, with his typical serenity, answered without hesitation, as he returned to his seat:
"It was Ais. She found you at the entrance to the dungeon and brought you back." Bell turned to her, surprised. "Huh? Ais-san…? But why?"
The blonde swordswoman looked at him for a moment. Her expression didn't change at all, her face as neutral as ever.
"I owed you."
And nothing else.
Bell blinked, not knowing exactly how to respond.
"...Did you owe me?"
Ais didn't say anything else. She simply looked away, as if that settled the conversation.
Tiona leaned toward Tione, whispering with an amused smile. "Was that your version of a big confession?"
Tione sighed. "If it was, it's the driest I've ever seen."
Bete just rolled his eyes, as if the whole moment seemed like a waste of time.
Bell, for his part, stood still, his face a mixture of astonishment and confusion.
"...Thank you," he finally said, sincerely.
Ais nodded once.
Finn smiled lightly, resting his arms on his knees as he looked at Bell with a certain nonchalant air.
"Even though Ais brought you here, you should know that it was Riveria who took care of you. You were in really bad shape, kid."
Bell opened his eyes in surprise and slowly turned his head towards the elf.
"Riveria-san…?"
She, who until then had been watching him with apparent indifference from a corner of the room, looked away as soon as their eyes met.
"Don't overreact, Finn," Riveria murmured, crossing her arms. "I just did what anyone would do."
But there was a faint, barely perceptible tinge of pink on her cheeks.
"If Lefiya were here, she'd go crazy hearing you speak so casually to the princess," Tiona whispered to her sister. Tione nodded in agreement.
Bell lowered his head slightly, grateful.
"...Thank you. Seriously. I owe you." Finn let out a small laugh.
Just then, the door creaked open, and a familiar, mocking voice rose above the room.
"What's this? A party, and I wasn't invited? Or are they planning a conspiracy without me?"
Loki strode in, a smile on her face and her arms crossed behind her head. Loki's slanted eyes darted around, scanning everyone present until they settled on Bell.
Bell visibly tensed.
"G-Goddess Loki…"
Finn massaged his temples in resignation. "Loki…"
Tiona let out an amused laugh, while Tione sighed as if she had expected something like this.
Loki approached the group and plopped down on an empty couch, lying down as if she were at home (even though technically Loki is at home).
"Well, well, don't look at me like that. I just wanted to know why everyone's gathered around like they're waiting for someone to make a dramatic statement. Or does our guest have something interesting to say?"
Loki's mischievous smile didn't disappear, but there was a questioning glint in Her eyes.
Finn immediately noticed the discomfort on Bell's face. His expression softened, and with a slight smile, he spoke calmly.
"No, there's no statement to wait for, Loki. We just wanted to make sure our guest was okay… and now that Bell is, he's leaving."
Bell nodded awkwardly, still a little nervous with so many eyes on him.
Finn looked over at Riveria. "Riveria, can you escort him out?"
She nodded, saying nothing, and turned toward the door. Bell said goodbye with a slight bow—more formal than necessary—before quickly following her out of the room.
Loki watched them leave, her smile now more curious than mocking. But she didn't say anything else. At least for now.
Outside the building, in front of the grand gates of Twilight Manor, Bell paused for a moment. The sunlight softly caressed the entrance, and the city of Orario spread out before him as if waiting for him.
Riveria stopped beside him, serious and elegant as ever. Bell turned to her and lowered his head slightly in a sincere bow.
"Thank you… for healing me. And for accompanying me here."
Riveria looked at him for a few seconds in silence, her expression almost imperturbable, but her eyes showed a slight tinge of consideration.
"Take better care of your body next time. We're not going to be there to save you every day."
Bell smiled, somewhat embarrassed. "I'll try."
Riveria nodded gently, and without another word, she turned and walked back inside, leaving Bell facing the city, ready—or at least willing—to face whatever came.
…
The old door of the abandoned church creaked open, and as soon as Bell took a step inside, a figure shot out toward him.
"BELL!"
Hestia hugged him so tightly that she almost knocked him down, and that was when Bell noticed the tears in her eyes, falling uncontrollably.
"You didn't know where you were! You've been missing since yesterday, and no one knew anything! I thought… I thought the worst had happened to you!"
Bell froze for a second, his mind trying to process what she had said.
"Since… yesterday?"
He'd fainted in the dungeon twice, and he thought it had only been a few hours... but seeing Hestia's tear-stained face made Bell realize. He'd been unconscious for a whole day.
"I'm sorry… I'm really sorry." Bell lowered his head, guilty. "I didn't mean to worry you. I just… needed to think. And it got out of hand."
Hestia didn't say anything for a few seconds, just hugged him tighter.
"Idiot… I don't care if you're fighting gods or dragons, but… come back. Always comes back."
Bell closed his eyes and nodded gently.
"I will. I promise. But I need to know if I've gotten stronger, please."
Hestia wiped her tears with her sleeve while still sobbing a little, but when Bell asked her for an update, Hestia's face immediately changed. She straightened, took a deep breath, and nodded decisively, as if changing her focus would help her recover.
"Okay, stay still."
Bell sat on the edge of the bed as Hestia stood behind him, placed her hand on his back, and began the falna process. A soft blue glow covered Bell's skin, slowly revealing the characters and numbers that represented his growth.
There was silence… for a moment.
And then:
"WHAAAT?!"
Bell was startled.
"Oh?!"
"Bell, this isn't normal!" Hestia practically circled around him, showing him the update sheet. "Your stats…! This doesn't make any sense!" Bell blinked, reading:
Bell Cranel
Level 1 (+)
Strength: SSS1499
Endurance: SSS1499
Dexterity: SSS1379
Agility: SSS1443
Magic: C658
Bell was speechless.
"But… the limit was S999, wasn't it?"
"Exactly!" Hestia paced in circles as if her mind couldn't decide between excitement and panic. "I've never seen anything like this! The scale is supposed to end in S… but this isn't even on the chart anymore! SSS?! What's next, SSSS?!"
Bell, still staring at the blade, muttered:
"…Does that mean I can level up?"
Hestia stopped. She looked at him. She smiled.
"Yes… Bell, you can now ascend to level two."
A shaky smile appeared on his face. And for a second, the exhaustion, pain, and chaos of the previous days faded away.
He was leveling up.
He had taken another step.
[A/N: If anyone asks why Bell didn't get any new blessings, I'll give them in the next chapter, I thought giving them now would be too anticlimactic]